Shelf and pole bracket

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates generally to a combined closet shelf and pole bracket, and more particularly to a novel and improved structural arrangement in which the elements comprising the bracket are readily attachable and detachable with respect to each other. The embodiment of the invention disclosed herein includes a horizontally disposed bracket member attachable at one extremity to a vertical work surface and formed at its opposite extremity with a first depending section. A second bracket member is in the form of a brace bar diagonally disposed with respect to the horizontal bracket member. The upper end of the brace bar engages the underside of the outer portion of the horizontal bracket member and is formed with a second depending section adapted to engage the inner surface of the first depending section, said section having an interlocking connection. A pole support forms an extension of the second depending section.

United States Patent 51 June 13, 1972 Gehrke 1 SHELF AND POLE BRACKET[72] Inventor: Howard G. Gehrke, Rock Falls, 111.

[73] Assignee: Lawrence Brothers, Inc., Sterling, Ill.

[22] Filed: Dec. 3, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 94,673

[52] US. Cl ..248/235, 108/29,211/90 [51] Int. Cl. ..A47f 5/00 [58]Field of Search ..248/235, 239, 247, 249, 243; 108/29, 30, 47; 21 H90,123

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 2,908,471 10/1959Hallensworth .2] H90 X 3,1 13,678 12/1963 Dickinson et al .108/29 UX1,809,216 6/1931 Quandt ....2l l/90 UX 1,189,988 7/1916 Moody ..21l/90UX 1,156,129 10/1915 Berger ..2ll/9O UX 275,481 4/1883 Gould ..21l/90 XPrimary Examiner-J. Franklin Foss Att0rney--Olson, Trexler, Wolters &Bushnell [57] ABSTRACT The present invention relates generally to acombined closet shelf and pole bracket, and more particularly to a noveland improved structural arrangement in which the elements comprising thebracket are readily attachable and detachable with respect to eachother. The embodiment of the invention disclosed herein includes ahorizontally disposed bracket member attachable at one extremity to avertical work surface and formed at its opposite extremity with a firstdepending section. A second bracket member is in the form of a brace bardiagonally disposed with respect to the horizontal bracket member. Theupper end of the brace bar engages the underside of the outer portion ofthe horizontal bracket member and is formed with a second dependingsection adapted to engage the inner surface of thevfirst dependingsection, said section having an interlocking connection. A pole supportforms an extension of the second depending section.

7 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures SHELF AND POLE BRACKET SUMMARY OF THEINVENTION It is an important object of the present invention to providean improved shelf and pole supporting bracket device of a knock down"construction comprised of elements which may be readily interlocked forattachment to a supporting surface and disengaged to facilitate storageand shipping.

More specifically, the present invention contemplates a combined shelfand pole bracket of the type referred to above wherein the outerextremities of bracket members may be interlocked in a unique andpractical manner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The foregoingand other objects andadvantages will be more apparent from the following detailed descriptionwhen considered in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein: 1

, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shelf and pole bracket deviceconstructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary-perspective view of the interlocking elementsdisclosed in separated relation;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of a shelf and pole bracket deviceshown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is afragmentary view of the underside of the adjustable extremityof the horizontal bracket structure; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view disclosing the manner in which thehorizontal bracket member and the diagonal brace bar, when in detachedrelation, may be nested together for the convenience of storage,shipping and package display.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing morein detail wherein like numerals have been employed to designate similarparts throughout the various views, it will be seen that'a shelf andpole bracket device constructed in accordance with the present inventionis designated generally by the numeral 10. The device includes ahorizontally disposed bracket member or arm 12 for supporting a shelf14. The inner extremity of the bracket member 12 is adjustably connectedwith an angle bracket 16 through the agency of a screw member 18extending through a key slot 20 and making threaded engagement with thebracket member 12. A second key slot 22 provides for additionalhorizontal adjustment of the angle bracket 16. The angle bracket 16 maybe secured in any suitable manner to a work or wall surface 23 as'bymeans of fastening screws.

' A lower, diagonally extending brace bar 24 is suitably secured byscrew fasteners 26 to the work surface 23. The upper and outer extremityof the brace bar 24 supports the underside of the bracket member 12along a limited horizontal area designated by the numeral 30. Adepending section 32 of the brace'bar, is adjacently superimposed by acomplementary depending section 34 of the bracket member 12. A lowerextension of the depending section 32 provides a pole accommodating hook36.

Particular attention is directed to the interlocking coupling betweenthe depending sections 32 and 34. This interlocking coupling includes apair of tongues or lugs 38 extending v laterally from the lowerextremity of the depending section 34, and a pair of complementarytongue accommodating slots or recesses 40 provided in opposite marginsof the depending section 32.

With the tongues 38 and notches 40 disposed in interlocking relation asillustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, the bracket member 12 and brace bar 24 arefirmly secured together at their outer engaging extremities. This uniqueinterlocking arrangement makes it possible to nest together the bracketarm 12 and the brace bar 24 as illustrated in FIG. 5. This serves togreatly facilitate the ease with which the elements forming the bracketdevice 10 may be stored or shipped. By employing the above describeddepending sections 32 and 34 in surface to surfacecontact, the tongueand slot arrangement assures a firm permanent assembly, once the anglebracket 16 and the lower extremity of the brace bar 24 have secured tothe workpiece.

Applicants knock-down feature also facilitates the display of thebracket devices. The two elements which comprise the bracket devices maybe display packaged in a slender polyethylene bag for merchandising andthe screws for attaching the bracket structure may also be housed withinthe bag. Thus the complete product may be displayed, free'from thepotential hazard of losing constituent parts and within a minimum ofspace. Space for merchandising is usually ata'tremendous premium; henceto the average dealer, the saving-of space for display purposes is verymeaningful.

From the foregoing it.will be apparent that the present-inventionprovides a unique, structurally simple yet firm bracket device forshelves and poles. Not infrequently, when a work supporting structure iscomposed of separate pieces adapted .to be interlocked in worksupporting position, the resulting structure lacks the firmness andrigidity of parts held together by welds or fasteners. Hence,commercially available bracket devices heretofore available have beenconstructed of elements permanently fastened together. While suchstructures do assure firmness and rigidity, they represent considerablebulk for packaging and transporting. Applicant's knock down" typebracket device solves this problem by permitting the parts thereof to benested in close association as shown in FIG. 5 of the drawing. Byproviding the limited area 'of horizontal contact between the outerextremities of the bracket member and brace bar, and the dependinginterlocked sections the requirement for firmness and rigidity'isfulfilled. All of the parts comprising the bracket device may beproduced by practicing conventional metal working methods and,therefore, may be produced at minimum expense.

Iclaim:

1. A combination closet shelf and pole bracket comprising a horizontallydisposed shelf supporting bracket member, means located at the innerextremity of said bracket member for attachment to a work surface, afirst section depending from the outer extremity of said bracket member,a diagonally disposed brace bar positioned beneath said bracket member,the upper extremity of said brace bar adapted to engage and support theunderside of the outer extremity of said bracket member, a secondsection depending from the upper extremityof said brace bar adaptedtodetachably engage the rear side of said first depending section, polesupporting means forming a lower extension of one of said dependingsections, tongue and slot means mutually snugly interfittingtransversely of the depending sections for detachably interlocking saiddepending sections and preventing relative sliding movement therebetweenunder influence of weight applied to the pole supporting means, andmeans for attaching the lower extremity of said brace bar to a worksurface.

2. A combination closet shelf and pole bracket as set forth in claim 1,wherein the pole supporting means comprises a lower extension of saidsecond depending section.

3. A combination closet shelf and pole bracket-as set forth in claim 1,wherein said tongue and slot means includes at least one tongueprojecting laterally from one depending section and a complementarytongue accommodating recess in the other depending section.

4. A combination closet shelf and pole bracket as set forth in claim 3,wherein at least one tongue projects laterally from said first dependingsection into a complementary recess in said second depending section.

5. A combination closet shelf and pole bracket as set forth in claim 1,wherein said horizontally disposed shelf supporting bracket islongitudinally adjustable with respect to the means located at the innerextremity thereof for attachment to a work surface.

6. A combination closet shelf and pole bracket as set forth in claim I,wherein the pole supporting means comprises a lower extension of saidsecond depending section.

7. A combination closet shelf and pole bracket as set forth in claim 6,wherein said first depending section is integral with said bracketmember and, terminates short of the lower extremity of said seconddepending section.

1. A combination closet shelf and pole bracket comprising a horizontallydisposed shelf supporting bracket member, means located at the innerextremity of said bracket member for attachment to a work surface, afirst section depending from the outer extremity of said bracket member,a diagonally disposed brace bar positioned beneath said bracket member,the upper extremity of said brace bar adapted to engage and support theunderside of the outer extremity of said bracket member, a secondsection depending from the upper extremity of said brace bar adapted todetachably engage the rear side of said first depending section, polesupporting means forming a lower extension of one of said dependingsections, tongue and slot means mutually snugly interfittingtransversely of the depending sections for detachably interlocking saiddepending sections and preventing relative sliding movement therebetweenunder influence of weight applied to the pole supporting means, andmeans for attaching the lower extremity of said brace bar to a worksurface.
 2. A combination closet shelf and pole bracket as set forth inclaim 1, wherein the pole supporting means comprises a lower extensionof said second depending section.
 3. A combination closet shelf and polebracket as set forth in claim 1, wherein said tongue and slot meansincludes at least one tongue projecting laterally from one dependingsection and a complementary tongue accommodating recess in the otherdepending section.
 4. A combination closet shelf and pole bracket as setforth in claim 3, wherein at least one tongue projects laterally fromsaid first depending section into a complementary recess in said seconddepending section.
 5. A combination closet shelf and pole bracket as setforth in claim 1, wherein said horizontally disposed shelf supportingbracket is longitudinally adjustable with respect to the means locatedat the inner extremity thereof for attachment to a work surface.
 6. Acombination closet shelf and pole bracket as set forth in claim 1,wherein the pole supporting means comprises a lower extension of saidsecond depending section.
 7. A combination closet shelf and pole bracketas set forth in claim 6, wherein said first depending section isintegral with said bracket member and terminates short of the lowerextremity of said second depending section.